The effect of parent and child operational stress on postoperative pain level in children

Abstract

Aim: Children's perception of pain may vary depending on defenselessness, negative and exaggerated behavior, level of persuasion, personality characteristics, and previously experienced negative experiences. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between anxiety and postoperative pain perception of children and the family's anxiety about the child's pain and negative attitudes on the effects of the pain. Material and Methods: Thirty-five patients undergoing appendectomy between August-December 2017 were included in this prospective study. Seven patients were excluded because of incongruity. Face, leg, activity, cry, consolidation (FLACC), preoperative anxiety scale of Yale, and Post-Anesthetic Delirium scale were applied. In the postoperative period, parents and children were asked to complete a pain questionnaire. Results: It is found that, as family education level increased, the anxiety of both children and parents decreased. The parents were found to have fewer levels of rumination as the level of education increased when the effect of postoperative analgesia selection on the visual analog pain scale (VPS) was investigated, there was a statistically significant difference between pain VPS scores only after surgery. It was found that mothers were more anxious than fathers. A moderately positive correlation was found between the VPS score and the child and parental rumination scale scores. It was seen that the education level of the family had a positive effect on the pain perception of the child. Discussion: The results of the surgical experience in the long-term memory revealed that the children had a comfortable postoperative period and that they did not think much about the operation, but that they would be afraid to undergo surgery again.